---
title: The Painful Secret to Retirement Success
description: The co-founders of retirement and investment analytics firm BrightScope share the secret of a well-funded retirement.
authors:
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published: '2015-07-07T14:03:59.000Z'
modified: '2015-07-07T14:03:59.000Z'
section: Retirement
tags:
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word_count: 90
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> **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/).

![BrightScope retirement](https://img.money.com/2015/07/sequence-01-00_00_05_12-still001.jpg)

BrightScope co-founders (and brothers) Mike and Ryan Alfred say saving is the most important thing you can do for your retirement. Start saving early and start saving a lot—way more than the 5% or 6% that workers put in their 401(k) to get an employer match. Ryan, president and chief operating officer, said he knows it can be hard to start saving when you're young and just started a career, but he thinks you should start saving a little bit and try to increase how much you save each year.

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